New and improved method and means for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of cigarette machines



BODN ND IMPROVED METHOD BACCO TO A PLURALIT Aug. 9, 1960 ER 2,948,569 0MEANS FOR FEEDING cuw NEW A TO F CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed June 8, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 1 fir Aug. 9, 1960 F. BODNER 2,948,569 NEW AND IMPROVEDMETHOD AND MEANS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO TO A PLURALITY 0F CIGARETTEMACHINES Filed June 8, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'R/TZ Ba /v5 W J W2,948,569 NG CUT TOBACCO TO A PLURALITY OF CIGARETTE MACHINES :FiledJune 8, 1959 F. BODNER Aug. 9, 1960 NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD AND MEANSFOR FEEDI 3 Sheets-Sheet 35 isiirw AND iMPRovED METHOD AND MEANS FORFEEDING CUT TOBACCO TO A PLURALITY or CIGARETTE MACHINES Fritz Bodner,Hamburg-Lohbrugge, Germany, assignor to Hauni-Werke Korber & C0. K.G.,Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Filed June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,642

Claims priority, application Germany June 14, 1958 2 Claims. 01. 30228)This invention relates to a new and improved method and means forfeeding cut tobacco to a plurality of V.

cigarette machines. a

Means for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of cigarette machines in apredetermined sequence are known in which the tobacco is transported toa supply point by means of a feed belt and from said supply pointthrough separate pipe means to the individual cigarette machines bystream or sliver forming pneumatic means. The feed belt may comprise anelevator band or an inclined-conveyor, preferably provided with prongsor spikes and arranged for cooperation with rakevwheels to-maintain thelayer of transported tobacco below a predetermined thickness.- The beltsor bands are frequently called carding belts.

It is an object of the invention to provide novel and valuableimprovements in methods and means of the general character indicated. 1

Another object of the invention is toprovide novel'and improved'meansfor the transportation of the cut tobacco from the unloading point ofthe conveyor means to the cigarette machines whereby the need of specialequalizing or compensating equipment is eliminated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means of thetypeindicated'inwhichrthe 'cuttobacco -is picked;

up at the unloading point of the carding belt by pneumatic means wherebyit is feasible to supply two or more cigarette machines through separatesuction co'nduits directly from one and the same carding belt.

- A further object of the invention is to provide means of the typeindicated in which a plurality of carding belts are arranged side byside and each adapted to cooperate with two or more suction conduitshaving their inlet openings disposed adjacent to the unloading point ofthe respective carding belt.

-It is a further object of the invention to provide means of the typeindicated including electrical means for auto matically and sequentiallycontrolling the carding belts and the pneumatic means in the individualconduits from the respective cigarette machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the typeindicated in which the electrical control means include timing means forcontrolling the periods of activity of the pneumatic means.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the typeindicated in which the timing means include delayed action relay means.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of an embodiment thereof with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a partial side elevation of the embodiment.of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic viewindicating also the;electricalcontrol means,

Fig. 3 is "a'dia'gra'm'showing the control circuits for o'ne section ofthe embodiment including a single carding belt, and

ICE

Fig. 4 is a simplified diagram showing in full lines the controlcircuits of the section of Fig. 3 and in dotted lines the controlcircuits for an additional section.

The elevator conveyor shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a plurality ofcarding orprong-bearing belts 2a arranged side-by-side, only one of saidbelts being shown on the drawings, all said belts being adapted to beindivid'ually controlled. A supply container -1 for the to-' bacco to bedelivered is provided, the bottom wall of which is formed by a 'feederbelt 3. The latter is driven by-a motor 8 and the carding belts 2a aredriven by a motor 9. In the region of the upper reversal point of thecarding belts 2a there is located in each case two (or more) connectionsfor delivery pipes 6 and 7 which extract the tobacco carried upwardly onthe surface of the carding belts 2a. As shown on the drawings theconnection leading to the feed pipe 6 .is dispo'sed approximatelyhorizontally while the other connection for the suction pipe 7 isarranged above it at an angle of about to the horizontal. If for examplefive carding belts 2a are arranged one beside the other it is possibleto supply ten cigarette machines with the plant shown on the drawings byreason of the presence of two suction connections for each belt, but, ofcourse, three suction connections can be used if desired.

The delivery pipes 6 and 7 are associated with feeder.

pipes 11, 12 and lead into delivery boxes or trunks 13, 14

including screen devices to extract the tobacco from the" suctionstream. These boxes 13, 14 are connected tov suction pipes 15, 16 fedfrom a common suction pipe 17.

.- The delivery boxes 13, 14 thus extract the tobacco carried from theconveyor 2a through the pipes 6, 7 respectively couplings 10 and thesuction operative upon the suction feed pipes 6, 7, 1-1, 12 iscontrolled by means of throttle valves 13a, 14a on the downstream sideof the delivery boxes 13, 14. The o'peration of the throttle valves iseffected by means of delivery box control magnets 18, 19. Air pressureoperated switches 20 and 21 are provided on the suction intake pipes 6and 7, which switches are closed when a sufiicient degree of suction isoperative in the region of the suction connections. Since the coupling10 must in each case be closed when either of the two delivery boxes 13and 14 require tobacco the two air operated switches 20 and 21 areconnected in parallel one with the other. The motor 9 for driving thecarding belts 2a is in continuous operation. The feed of tobacco to thecarding belts is cut 01f by feeler means 22 when the level of thetobacco on the bottom belt 3 feeding all the carding belts has exceededthe desired amount. In Fig. 3 a switching diagram for two cigarettemaking machines is shown in detail, these being the two machines shownor indicated in full lines in more generalized outline form in Fig. 4.Each machine has a switch box 23, v

24 respectively, embodying a timing mechanism 25, 2 6 with an associatedrelay switch 27, 28. The timing mechanisms 25, 26 are adjusted fora-definite supply time corresponding to the consumption of tobacco bythe cigarette making machines concerned and which may be of the order ofto seconds. Thedelivery box con A storage re1ay29 or 30 provided foreach cigarette machine and a common distributor, for example a rotaryselector switch 31 changes over from one cigarette ma- 3 chine to theother under the control of the relay switches 27, 28, the operating timebeing only about 1.5 to 2 seconds. A delay action relay 32 ensures thatthe delivery box control magnet 18, 19 only closes the respectivethrottle valve 13a or 14:: (see Fig 2) when there is no longer anytobacco, in the fed pipes 11, 12. A further delay action relay 33replacesthe feeler means previously provided in the delivery boxes anddetermines the operating period for supplying these delivery boxes. Arelay 34 responds to the switches 21), 21 and closes the protectiveswitches 35 for the magnet 36 operating the respective coupling 10. Thetwo air-operated switches 20 and 21 of one pair of machines areconnected in parallel to the circuit of the relay 34.

The switching diagram of Fig. 3. taken in conjunction with the generaloutline circuit arrangement of Fig. 4 shows in detail the method ofoperation of the apparatus and it should be noted that the circuitdiagram of Fig. 3 is shown under the condition that neither of the twocigarette machines is being supplied. When the timing mechanism 25closes the two associated contacts by the associated switch arm 25a thefeed terminal 29a of the storage relay 29 is connected to a source ofcurrent at the machine concerned. The terminal 2% is returned throughthe closed contact of the delay action relay 32 to the other terminal ofthe supply source. In this way the relay 29. is energized as long as thecontact arm 32a of the delay action relay 32 is closed. On energizationof the storage relay 29 the moving contact member 38 opens the contacts38a and closes the contacts 38b and the contact member 39 opens thecontacts 3% and closes the contacts 3%. By opening of the contacts 38aand 39a the connections to the storage relay 3t and to the distributormechanism 31 are broken. By the closing of the contacts 38b thedistributor mechanism 31 is energized from the terminal 29a. The otherterminal of the mechanism 31 is connected to the terminal 29]) throughthe switch member 28a of the switch relay 2 8, the switch member 27a ofthe relay 27, the switch member 39 andcontacts 3% of the storage relay29.

In this way the distributor mechanism is operated and the cam disc 31arotates and operates the switch arm 31b so that the terminal 27b of theoperating coil of relay 27 is connected to the terminal 29a. Since theterminal 291) is already connected to the terminal 270 of the switchrelay 27 the latter is energized and through the switch arms 27d and 27sconnects the delivery box magnet 18 to the source terminals 40. At thesame time the switch arm 27a is lifted from the associated contacts andthe circuit to the distributor mechanism 31 is broken. The delivery boxmagnet 18 opens the throttle valve 13a and connects the suction to thefeed pipe 11 concerned and when there is a sufiieient vacuum in theregion of the connection point of the suction pipe 6, the air switch 29closes. This closes the circuit of the relay switch 34 which isenergized and through the contact lever 3 4a it closes the circuit ofthe control switch 35 for the coupling magnet 36 concerned so that thelatter is connected for energization through switch arms 35a and 35bfrom the source terminals 41.

Now the carding belt 2a concerned is connected as shown in Fig. 2through the coupling 10 with the driving motor 9 and tobacco is fed tothe suction connection 6 and is delivered therefrom to the feed pipe 11and to the delivery box 13. At the same time as the closing of theswitch arm 34a operates, the switch arms 34b and 34c connect the delayaction relay 33 to the feed terminals 42 and prepare a circuit for relay32. After a predetermined time the delay relay 33 lifts the switch arm33a and thus breaks the circuit for the protective switch for thecoupling magnet so that the track or feeder 2a is stopped. Since theprotective switch 35 is no longer energized the contact arm'35ccompletes the circuit to the delay acting relay 3 2 The operating discof the delay action relay 32 moves f0,

a predetermined period and then opens the circuit for the magnets of theswitch relay 2 7 and the storage relay 29. Thereby the delivery boxmagnet 18 is de-energized and the throttle valve 13a cuts off thesuction from the pipe 15. The delay period is; so proportioned that thetobacco still remaining in the feed pipe'll is sucked into the deiv Th ca r c c th tqtage re y 29'revert to the position shown in Fig. 3,. Nowthe distributor mechanism 31 is connected on the one hand through theswitch arm 38 and on the other hand through the switch arms 28a, 27a and39 to the storage relay 30 and is energized through the switch arms 43and. 44. when the relay 30.is operated by the timing mechanism 26. Thetiming cam disc 31c of the switch mechanism now moves on and actuates,the switch arm 31d whereby the operating circuit for the magnets onswitch relay 28 for the delivery box operating coil 19 is closed. Thecircuit then continues to operate in a manner which will be obvious andsimilarly to that previously described, but now feeds the second machineof the pain-and a further machine if each carding belt feeds threemachines and so on.

Fig. 4 of the drawings shows a generalized view of a" complete deliveryplant according to the invention in diagrammatic form from which notonly the control cooperation of the individual parts but also thefurther possibilities of including other equipment connected to. asingle suction fan is indicated by dotted lines.

By the invention it is possible to connect to one elevator with severalcarding belts 2a up to 15 cigarette making machines, and by the improvedcontrol procedures it is possible for the individual cigarette machinesto be fed rapidly and reliably with tobacco in sequence according torequirements.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for feeding cut tobacco from a source of supply to aplurality of cigarette machines, a carding belt, electric motor meansfor moving said carding belt in one direction from a loading station toan unloading station, an electric circuit for said motor means, rakemeans rotatably mounted adjacent to said carding belt to keep thethickness of the layer of tobacco on said carding belt below a maximumvalue, a first suction conduit extending substantially horizontally fromsaid unloading station, a second suction conduit extending at an angleof substantially thirty degrees upwardly said motor circuit with saidelectromagnet means, air

pressure switches, and cigarette machines, and means in said electricalcircuit means for operating said electromagnet means and electric motormeans in timed relation to intermittently and alternatingly furnish saidcigarette machines with the cut tobacco.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a delay switch relay insaid electrical circuit means fordelaying the closing of each of saidvalves. 4

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,140,128 Craggs Dec. l3, 1938 2,862,646v Hayford Dec. 2, L958 FOREIGNPATENTS 7 640,057 Germany Jan. 5, 1937 173,003

Austria Nov. 10, 1952

